


Unus’ death

by NahBLUBunny



Category: Unus Annus - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Death, Major character death - Freeform, Sad, Short Chapters, hope I’m wrong about this, maybe im sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:00:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24446224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NahBLUBunny/pseuds/NahBLUBunny
Summary: Ethan mysteriously died, and Amy isn’t sure how Mark is handling the situation. She’s worried about his sanity, and who he keeps talking to when locking himself in the room.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	1. Start of trouble

Mark and Ethan finished yet another video outro for their collab channel, Unus Annus. Ethan chuckled to himself while he shut his camera off and put it away after a long day of recording videos for his own channel, and for collabing with Mark. Now it was time for Ethan to upload a few videos on his channel and to upload the previous video recorded a few days prior.

“Well, I guess I’ll talk to you some time later today or tomorrow morning.” Mark stretched through the phone.

“Yea, I suppose. I gotta finish up here, then gotta take Spencer for a walk.” Ethan smiled before going to hang up the FaceTime.

“Later.”

“See ya.”

Ethan hit the end call button and put his phone away before going back to upload the videos.

***

Ethan let out a long yawn after finishing up his daily posts to social media. Looking at his watch, Ethan stood up from his desk and logged off his computer and put it to sleep before walking out to make some dinner.

Mika was already asleep or busy watching YouTube in her room, so Ethan figured he’d make a quick dinner before turning in for the night. Sitting at the table with a hot bowl of microwave mac’n cheese, Ethan blew on a spoonful to cool it down before taking a bite.

A little while after Ethan finished his meal, he let Spencer out for a bit before returning to his room.

***

Sometime in the middle of the night, Ethan began to cough crazily that woke him from a nightmare. Waking up, barely able to breath, made Ethan feel like he was still trapped in his nightmare. He felt his chest tightening and his mouth tasted of blood. When he entered the bathroom after clearing from his sleep, he spat in the sink to see blood come up.

“Shit!” Ethan muttered under his breath as he rinsed his mouth and the sink of his coughed up blood.

Mika knocked on Ethans door, hearing the coughing in her sleep and waking her. Ethan cleaned up the last bit of blood before Mika walked in his room.

“You alright?” Mika yawned, still having the look of concern in her expression.

Clearing his throat, Ethan simply replied with, ‘mhmm’ before walking back into bed.

Mika gave Ethan a quick hug before she retreated to her room for the night. Ethan sighed as he sat in his bed, holding his head in his hands.

“What’s wrong with me?” Ethan muttered to himself that he barely heard it.

Not wanting to go back to sleep, Ethan went to grab a cup of water from downstairs. After one mouthful of water, Ethan spat it back into the sink for it felt like he drank fire other than water.

“I gotta go see a doc-“ Ethan barely finished before his dinner crawled out of his throat and mostly into the sink. Some got on the counter and the floor by his feet.

“I gotta call- Mark.”


	2. Wake up call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark gets a call from Ethan and rushes to his place a quickly as possible

Mark put his phone away and prepared to get some sleep. Amy gave Mark a hug before she retreated into the covers and drifting off to sleep. Turning his lamp off, Mark also curled into the sheets and soon met sleep.

***

Mark woke with a start from a terrible nightmare, and had to sit up in bed. Having a hard time to fall asleep, Mark went to his bathroom to rinse his face with cold water to wake him up more and he went downstairs for a little snack and a cup of juice.

When looking for something to snack on, Mark’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Picking his phone up, he read the caller ID. It was Ethan.

“Hey, buddy. Couldn’t-“ Mark stopped talking after seeing the state Ethan was in.

There was some throw up on the side of Ethan’s lip stained with a bit of blood and Ethan looked like he’s been throwing up for some time.

“MaARRK!!” Ethan hurled in the sink. “I... need you... to dr-drop ne off, at-URK!!! Hospital.”

“Hold tight buddy!” Mark put the juice down and ran to get the car ready.

“Stay on the phone with me, Ethan, I’m on my way.”

“Amy!! Wake up!!” Mark called up to the room.

“What is it?!” Amy asked groggy.

“Hurry, get in the car, we have to drop Ethan at the hospital. He doesn’t look to good.”

At that, Amy burst up in shock.

Mark and Amy jumped into the car, almost forgetting to open the door. Mark put the key in the ignition with trembling hands. Hastily pulling his seatbelt over his chest, Mark pulled out of his driveway and made his way to Ethan’s place.

“Hang on Ethan, I’m coming over now.”

“What happened?” Amy asked with shaking hands. On her way in the car, Mark told her to record what was happening in case of the worst. Which he hoped to God that nothing bad was gonna happen.

“I don’t know. He just looked like... like hell!!”

Hardly watching his speed, Mark made it to Ethans house almost in no time. When parking out front, Mark quickly pulled a mask over his face and opened the driver side door, forgetting to take his seatbelt off.

After hassling with the buckle, Mark turned to Amy.

“Amy stay in the car, I’ll be back with Ethan!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why Ethan or Mark didn’t just call an ambulance, I’m not sure.


	3. Running a red light

Mark ran inside Ethan’s place, not making time to close either door of the car nor the house. 

Amy turned the camera to her, holding back tears, “I don’t know what’s happening here. Mark woke me up, and I heard over the phone that Ethan was throwing up.”

Upon entering the house, Mark found Ethan hunched over the kitchen sink, looking weaker than a new born baby. Mika was by his side, looking as if she was crying.

“Ethan!” Mark nearly shouted as he ran over to pick Ethan up over his shoulders.

“Spence-“ Ethan mumbled before Mark was at the door.

“I’ll get him after you’re in the car, Ethan.”

Rushing to his car, Mark put Ethan in the backseat and quickly ran back for Spencer. Mika sat in the back with Ethan and Spencer, trying to fight back her tears.

Mark pulled his phone out and not understanding his actions, pulled the screen to camera and hit record. Once driving, Mark tried his best to explain what was happening to both cameras.

“This, isn’t a joke. Ethan called me...” Mark took a sharp turn, “He uh... he called me, a few minutes ago.. and er, he’s not... not looking well!” Mark took another sharp turn.

“Mark...” Ethan muttered weakly. “Where’s, where’s my Spencey?”

As if on cue, Spencer nosed Ethan’s face. “Oh, there’s my little good boi... my good boi.”

“I don’t know what is going on, but I’m-“ Mark slammed hard on the brakes on a red light. “FUCK!!!”

Mark glanced at Ethan and patted his head. “Hang on, Ethan. We’re almost at the hospital. Don’t worry, Mika. He’ll be fine!”

Turning back to the light, Mark looked around to see no cars coming.

“Screw it!!” Mark shouted through gritted teeth.

Mark hit the gas and quickly made his way to the ER parking lot of the Hospital.

Turning very hard, Mark jumped a curb as he stopped his car. Getting out of the vehicle, Mark went back to pick Ethan up again. Mika and Amy right behind him, Mika holding Spencer’s harness.

“We need some help here!! I need a doctor!! Now!!!”


	4. Waiting

Ethan was placed on a gurney and rolled to the ER, with Mark on his right trying to talk to him.

“Ethan, please, stay strong. Hold on please. You’re gonna get through this.”

“Sir, you’re gonna have to wait here.” A female doctor said while standing in his way at a double door where the other doctors rushed Ethan in.

“YOU’RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS ETHAN!!!” As the doors shut, Mark stood there trying to process what happened. “You have to.” He whispered after a bit.

***

Mark kept pacing about as Amy tried to comfort Mika who was still trying to control her tears. It felt like hours passed to Mark when it’s been only half an hour. Soon the number 84 popped in his mind. 84... that’s how many videos they had left together for Unus Annus. Mark walked past the girls to get a drink of water.

‘With quarantine lifting here shortly, we’ll be able to do those things we were meant to before being forced into isolation.’

Mark recalled what happened the last hundred videos, and there were bits and pieces of those videos that Mark regretted. If he knew this was gonna happen, he’d have thought of better things to say to Ethan. Sure, Ethan understood it was all jokes, but that didn’t make Mark’s stomach stop churning.

“Mark?” Amy whispered as she walked up to him.

“Hey... I-I-“ Mark’s voice broke as he fell apart right there, being held by Amy.

“Shh, he’s alright.”

“Is he though?” Muffled sobs escaped Mark’s lips as Amy escorts Mark to take a seat.

“Shhh, Ethan’s almost stronger than you.” This caused Mark to glace slightly at Amy from her chest. “Almost, Mark. He- You both will get passed this.”

Mark knew deep down Amy was only just trying to comfort him. He wanted to believe that Ethan was gonna be alright, but the odds of that were looking slimmer with each passing second they didn’t hear of Ethan’s progress.


	5. The recording

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark recalls the last thing they recorded together.

Mika handed Mark a cup of coffee after an hour of being at the hospital. Mark gave a weak smile while taking it gratefully, but only just holding it. Looking at the cover of the cup, Mark tried to distract his thoughts of what seemed to be happening here. Spencer nosed at Mark’s left arm where Mark gratefully gives him a few strokes behind his ears.

“He’ll be alright.” Mark whispered, hoping he’d believe his own words.

Spencer let out a quiet whine as he lay at Mark’s feet, staring up at him with sadness in his eyes. Mark averted his eyes and tried to focus on something else other than the impending idea that the video he and Ethan recorded the day before was indeed their last.

‘What did I say?’ Mark thought back to the video.

——

Twelve hours prior:

Mark chuckled at his own insult toward Ethan after Ethan misread what was on his screen, causing the older YouTuber to get himself into a huge fit of laughter.

“Ho, man. Oh, yeah. Also, you guys watching. This is our last video.” Mark said while he finished his laughing fit.

“In quarantine!” Ethan jumped in.

“Right, ahem. In quarantine. As of tomorrow, there’ll be no more of this scene.”

Mark pointed to behind him.

“After this video has been uploaded, Mark and I will be back in each other’s loving embrace.” Ethan said in his playful tone of voice.

“Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I can’t wait for you to put your hands all over me.” Mark chuckled as Ethan made a disturbed facial expression.

“Maybe not that close though.”

The duo burst into a fit of laughter as Mark tried to come up with an outro scenario. As he was about to make the memorable outro, Ethan beat him to it.

“Mark, is that- ho, it’s the light of freedom shining upon you! Embrace it, Mark. Embrace the warm glow, it’s consuming us.”

——

Present:

Mark woke from his daze as a Doctor kept calling him. Standing up, Mark placed the cup on the little table as he walked over to the doc.

“Yes, sorry. I’m Ethan’s friend.” Mark held his breath as he saw the doctor flip through the papers.

‘Please let him be ok.’ Mark thought.


	6. Gone/Funeral

The doctor flipped through the papers and stopped on one specific page. Time seemed to stop as Mark waited for the doctor’s report. It felt like hours to Mark before the doctor spoke to him, even though it was mere seconds.

“I apologise, Mark-“

At that, Mark’s hearing faded in and out. He heard the doc, but it sounded as if he was sinking deeper into the ocean or a lake. Staring at the docs lips as they moved was all Mark had to let him know this wasn’t a dream, or a nightmare, but rather the reality.

“...ried....it was...te...Ethan’s....orry...oss.” Was all Mark heard from the doctor’s voice.

‘He’s gone’ Mark whispered in his mind.

The outline of Mark’s eyes blackened a bit as he turned to Mika and Amy who were confused, but also worried about the situation. They took a few minutes to rest their eyes, and only woke as Mark made his way over to them.

“Mark? What’s wrong? How’s Ethan?”  
Amy asked as she stood, keeping Mika sitting in her seat.

“Mark?” Mika muttered.

“He-he’s gone.” Mark mumbled barely above a whisper, but Mika seemed to catch it easily, and covered her mouth.

“No!” Mika cried out as she began to sob.

Amy wanted to comfort her, but Mark looked like he was about to pass out, so she caught him before his knees gave from under him.

***

A week went by since the incident, and most of the world didn’t get the memo until that last video was posted when attached to the video was a memento for Ethan Mark Darling-Nestor.

In the video before it finished was the video for the trip to the hospital, and also the ceremony description. A moment before the clock began its ticking, Mark went on explaining what was going on, and how the viewers at home could see the live of Ethan’s funeral.

Mark wasn’t entirely crying, but any viewer with experience of loss was able to see that Mark was looking dead in the eyes. As if his soul wasn’t there anymore and that he was just a shell of Mark being controlled by an unknown phantom.

During the funeral, Mark walked up to the podium and said a few words for Ethan. It wasn’t as a joking matter, and he wasn’t making fun of him, but he brought up a moment in Ethans life that caused a few chuckles from the crowd.

“Now, Ethan had his ways of expressing himself. Not to mention how different he acted in front of a camera every time it turned on. I’m just hoping he’s acting normal now and not looking like he’s goofing in front of all these cameras now.” This received a few more chuckles from the crowd.

The funeral goes on about with a few more speeches and more stories of Ethan’s life before the casket is taken away. Despite how Mark looked during the whole event, he was still not fully there. Part of him refused to believe this was all happening.

After the live ended and everyone was eating and talking to each other, Seàn walked over to Mark and placed a hand on his shoulder. Mark looks blankly at Seàn’s presence, barely catching what he said.

“Hey, buddy, I’m sorry for your loss.”

Mark nodded slightly as he placed a forkful of food in his mouth. Seàn was able to tell that Mark wasn’t all there, and wasn’t sure what to do to help him. The Irish YouTuber was gonna speak again when Mark was pulled away by other people sharing their condolences. Not wanting to be a bother, Seàn went to grab himself a plate of food before it was all gone.

***

Mark and Amy walked into the house and Mark pulled his necktie off of himself and threw it on the couch before rushing up the stairs to take a shower. Amy sighed as she went to go change her clothes and prepare dinner. Mark has been silent since his speech, and any attempt to get him to talk was shut down merely the same moment the thought appeared, so Amy tried to leave it alone.

Mark put the water at nearly scolding hot as he stood there watching the grime of the day swirl and get swallowed up by the drain between his feet. The YouTuber tried his best to forget the day happened, and tried his hardest to push the thought of the last week incident to the darkest place of his mind before turning the shower off and putting a fresh pair of clothes on and heading straight to his room.

Mark sat on his bed when Amy finished making dinner, and she tried to offer him some. Mark kept staring at one spot in the room, as if she didn’t exist at all. Sighing, Amy brought the plate back downstairs as Mark kept sulking.


	7. Tweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark has a pep in his step after two months. But Amy is still a little concerned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to add in the photos for the tweets, but I suppose it’s easier to do on a computer rather than on a phone. So I’ve linked them to my Wattpad. You can check them out from there. Remember, those tweets aren’t real, they are fictional like this story. So stay calm. Thank you.

Mark seemed to be beaming as he finished his recording of three scary games. Amy was taken aback by this. It’s been nearly two months since Mark recorded anything. He didn’t even warn anyone about going on break, and Amy had to improvise with those months on the Unus Annus Channel.

Mark gave Amy a side hug and a quick peck on her cheek before whistling a familiar tone as he grabbed breakfast. Amy was confused. She wanted to ask him what’s got him happy, but she quickly bit her tongue as to not disrupt Mark’s emotional shift.

***

Mark sat at his desk and hit the record button on his camera to start recording for Unus Annus. Mark smiled into the camera as he began talking to himself and occasionally pausing and making comments into the silence. A couple times Mark laughed when he was interrupted by nothing.

Amy was a little confused and concern began to rise as she heard Mark from down the hall. Getting up from her social media, Amy made her way to Mark’s recording office and pressed her ear against the door. She heard laughing. It’s been so long since she heard Mark laugh like that, so wholesome and pure. Why he was laughing, she didn’t know, but a small smile crept its way into her face as Mark kept laughing truly.

‘This is stupid.’ She thought to herself as she made her way back to where she was sitting earlier.

‘He’s finally happy after all these months. Why should I put him down after what happened?’ She thought to herself as she scrolled through Twitter when she spotted a recent tweet from Mark.

<https://my.w.tt/FppwnVqdV6>

Amy wanted to jump up and call out to Mark, but she soon bit her tongue. Mark was finally happy after two months since Ethan’s passing. She figured that this was Mark’s way of coping with the loss.

‘He’ll remember soon enough.’ Amy thought to herself. ‘Hopefully.’

***

Seàn stared unblinking at Mark’s recent tweet. There had to be some explanation as to why Mark kept talking about Ethan as if he didn’t just pass away months ago. Sighing, Seàn scrolled through a few of the comments. What he saw kinda disturbed him.

[‘Same as the first link’](https://my.w.tt/gTUHZREdV6)

Seàn couldn’t handle this. It’s been going on for nearly a week by now. He had to do something. Picking up his phone, Seàn dialled Amy’s number. It rang for a minute before she picked up.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Amy asked cheerfully over the phone.

“Hey, it’s all good. Listen, don’t tell Mark, but I’m gonna be on my way to California as soon as possible.”

Amy sighed on the other end. “You saw his tweet, too, huh?”

“Yeah,” Seàn replied. “I’m hoping I can get some sense into him before he hurts himself.”

“I’m hoping you do. I’ve tried, and he’s not admitting to anything being wrong. I asked him about that day, but he goes silent and won’t talk for a few hours, then he talks to me as if it never happened.”

Seàn grunted in response before bitting Amy farewell. The Irish YouTuber began packing a small bag before booking a flight. He wasn’t sure how much Mark could handle the pressure.


	8. You are why I’m here

Mark bumped into Seàn after leaving the mall, and apologised a million times before seeing who it was he ran into.

“Oh, it’s you. Hey. What brings you to LA?” Mark asked casually.

“Well, I’m just visiting an old friend.” Seàn smiled, gesturing to Mark.

Mark either saw the hint and ignored it, or he didn’t pay that close enough of attention to see the gesture. Mark only chuckled in response and patted the younger man’s shoulder.

“Well, I hope you have a sweet time here. I’m just on my way to Ethan’s place to record the next video.”

Jack flinched at the mention of Unus’ name. Swallowing his emotions, the Irish man put on a fake smile and nodded.

“Mind if I join? I don’t got much to do now anyway.”

“Oh, sure. Sure. Come on. I’m positive that Ethan won’t mind.”

***

The drive was quite, and the air felt really tense. Jack wanted to say something, but for whatever reason, the idea died before it even appeared. Seàn took notice to how many times Mark’s knuckles turned white with each turn.

Seàn adjusted his sitting position a few times after hearing the older man clearly growl. Jack was getting quite worried. Mark kept mumbling to himself as he looked in the rear view mirror as if talking to someone in the backseat.

Seàn kept looking where Mark was staring at, but there was a low grumble from the driver when Seàn turn his body to glance in the back seat. Once Mark pulled up to Ethan’s place, both men sat in silence for nearly ten minutes.

Seàn cleared his throat before unbuckling and getting out of the car. Shutting the car door, Seàn placed his hands on the back of his head as he took a few steps away from the car before stopping. Seàn only turned around after he heard the driver side door open. Looking at Mark, Seàn could tell that there’s something on his mind.

“What it is you really came here for, Jack?” Mark said in a stern voice.

Seàn sighed as he clasped his hands over his face. Shaking his head, a slight chuckle escaped his lips before facing the Korean/German American. Mark had his hands in his coat pocket while staring coldly at the Irishman.

“Mark, you’re the reason I’m here.”


	9. Breakdown

“Mark, you’re the reason I’m here.” Seàn said loud and clear.

Mark held his position, but bit the inside of his lip while chuckling to mainly himself. Mark stared at the concrete, and held his hair in his hands.

“Mark. You’re worrying everyone with this talk of Ethan.”

“And what so wrong with talking about Ethan?!” Mark screamed.

“There isn’t anything wrong, Mark. It’s fine to talk about the times you had with him, but talking as if he never died is freaking the fuck out of people.”

“And you say that as if I didn’t fucking know he died!!”

Seàn took a step back.

“You knew this whole time?!”

“Of course I fucking knew!! I’m not a damn idiot, Seàn!! Didn’t you figure I knew this whole time?!?”

Mark turned and slammed his fist into the wall behind him a few times until blood began dripping down them. Seàn walked around the car and stood two feet behind Mark as Mark hugged himself close to the wall and slid down into a crouched position.

Seàn stood there for two minutes until he heard soft sobs coming from the other YouTuber. Mark crammed his head between his knees and held his clamped fists against the wall that was now stained with his blood. Seàn walked up beside Mark and knelt on the ground, slightly rubbing his back as he cried a little louder.

“Shh, that’s it. Breathe. Calm down. Let all out.” Seàn whispered as Mark shifted from the wall to his shoulder.

Mark clenched tightly onto Seàn as if he’d fade away if he ever let go. Mark sobbed loudly into the Irish YouTuber’s chest, as his grip grew tighter with each sob filled breath. Seàn places his lips on top of the American’s fluffy hair, and stroked his back as Mark mumbled between sobs.

“I-should’ve——done—more-t-to help—him!!” Mark seemed to hiccup between each word.

“Let it all out.” Seàn’s voice muffled in the YouTuber’s hair.

***

Mark and Seàn sat in the car, but this time, Mark was in the passenger seat, and Seàn sat silently in the driver’s seat. It was roughly thirty minutes of Mark sobbing into Seàn‘s sleeve, before he calmed down enough to walk back to his car.

Mark sat there picking at his pants while Seàn rested his hands on the wheel, recalling the last half hour. Sure, losing Ethan was the single most hardest blow that Mark and his friends have felt it the longest time. Seeing that Mark held it all in for over two months must’ve been hard for him to keep bottled up.

“Feeling better?” Seàn asked, not looking in Mark’s direction.

In response, Mark replied with a slight grunt.

Seàn nodded and looked at him. Mark looked a little better, besides the red puffy eyes from crying for over thirty minutes. Seàn patted the man next to him and started the vehicle.

***

After driving for a bit, Seàn figured he’d break the silence.

“So, you knew the entire two months?”

“Mhmm.”

“So why block out the truth? If you knew this entire time, why pretend he’s still alive?”

Mark sniffled, “I don’t know really. I... I suppose- ahem- that if... I pretended long enough... Ethan would talk back.”

Mark places his right arm over his eyes as the tears came back. Seàn sighed softly as he pulled off the highway. Parking the car, Seàn turned to face Mark, who was still sobbing into his arm.

“Let me see it.” Jack muttered while reaching out for Mark’s hands.

Mark looked up from his arm with confusion. Seàn sighed and reached his hands out further. Mark still confused, gave his hand to Seàn anyway. Seàn pulled out a first aid kit and applied some rubbing alcohol to the open wounds.

Mark winced at the sudden pain in his knuckles, and under his breath he muttered a slight, ‘fuck’ as Seàn applied a little pressure to each knuckle.

“Apologies, Mark. But they’d get infected if we didn’t treat it sooner.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Mark winced.


	10. Hugging

After Jack finished the last wrap on Mark’s left hand, Mark put his hands back in his jacket pockets as Seàn started the car again.

“Listen, Mark. I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“For making you assume that I didn’t believe that you knew about Ethan’s death. It must’ve been really hard on you to drive him... Anyway, I’m just sorry.”

Mark chuckled as he leaned over and gave Jack a hug. Seàn took in a shaking breath as it was now HIS turn to be comforted. A couple minutes pass when Mark hears slight sobs. Looking down, Mark saw Seàn burying his face deeper into his broad pecs.

Mark didn’t know what to say, so he just sat there, trying not to cry again. Seàn’s grip tighten around Mark as his crying grew to a whisper.

“It’s alright.” Mark whispered with his chin on top of Jack’s man bun. “You’re ok.”

“I never got to say goodbye to him.” Seàn whispered.

Mark’s breath caught in his throat because he also never got to say goodbye to the Unus side of Unus Annus. Letting his breath out slowly, Mark rocked Jack a little while humming ‘The dance of Italy’. Jack chuckled a little and sat back in the driver’s seat wiping his tears.

“Good God.” Seàn sniffed as he rubbed his nose with the back of his left hand. “Jesus Christ man, I haven’t cried like that since... Since BB passed.”

“Yea, losing a pet is hard. I’m sorry about that by the way.”

Seàn shrugged sadly as he turned his attention back to the wheel. Shaking his head a few times, Seàn looked for any on coming traffic and pulled the vehicle back onto the road.

***

Seàn was driving for a bit when an idea popped into his head.

“Hey, why don’t we go to the graveyard and say goodbye to Ethan there?”

Mark nodded in slight approval. “I believe that’s a great idea Seàn. I think it’s time I told that bastard goodbye.”

Both men chuckled after that response, and Seàn the made his way to the Evergreen Cemetery.


	11. Saying goodbye

Seàn pulled the car into the Evergreen Cemetery and parked not too far from Ethan Mark Darling-Nestor’s grace. Both Mark and Seàn sat there for what seemed like an eternity, when Mark was the first to unbuckle his seatbelt.

Mark stepped out of the car and shut the door slowly, that a snail seemed faster than a roadrunner. Letting out a deep sigh, Mark looked over at Seàn as he walked around the front of the car and toward Ethan’s tombstone.

Taking his weight off the car, Mark followed behind Seàn, acting like a shy kid on their first day at school. Soon both men were standing mere centimetres from the slab saying, ‘Ethan ‘Unus’ Mark Darling-Nestor Brother, Son, friend, YouTuber, dog dad’ ‘I wasn’t scared of dying. Just afraid of not living and doing stupid shit with Mark.’

“Christ, when did he come up with that memore?” Seàn chuckled.

Mark giggled, “When we went shopping for that custom casket.”

Both YouTubers laughed slightly for a little while. Mark then let out a very deep and long sigh.

“I never thought my life would ever come down to this. Sure, I’ve lost friends in the past and even loved ones, but this one... Ethan’s death just seems to take the whole goddamn cake, man. If I could take back all the terrible things I said to him, I wouldn’t.”

“Whoa, man. That went south quick.”

“Hear me out, Seàn. If I hadn’t said those things to him, he wouldn’t have been as tough as he was before he died. He would still be that fragile little baby man like I found him when he first did a backflip. So I wouldn’t take those words back, but what I do regret is that I didn’t let him know how much I loved him. He was like a brother to me, Jack.”

Just like that, Mark began to choke on his words and the tear gates were opening up again. Seàn put an arm around Mark, and Mark leaned into him. Then softly, Mark heard Seàn whispering.

“Sugar and Pepper and a Pepper and Sugar”

Mark gave a soft chuckle as he stood straight again and looked at Ethan’s Grave. Letting go of Seàn, the American YouTuber crouched down and laid a hand on the face of Ethan’s headstone. Running his bandages fingers over a few words, Mark sighed silently.

“Ethan, even though you were the biggest pain in my ass... You were always there for me. You stood with me through everything since we’ve met. You were practically family, man. *sniff* I am sorry I took our time together for granted. We always said that it comes for us all, and I was hoping that if this ever happened, I’d be more prepared to let you go. But now I find it to be the single most hardest thing to ever do. I guess what I’m saying here Ethan, is that I miss you pal. I’d say something like ‘I’d trade places if I could’ but I wouldn’t want you to feel this pain in my heart right now. It isn’t something anyone should have to go through. God, I love you man, and miss you. Bu-bye.” Mark whispered that last word.

Mark soon stood up and let Seàn say his farewell.

“Well, I can’t compete with Mark, but you are going to be missed Ethan. You were so young to be taken the way you were. But I hope at least you’re in a better place. We really are gonna miss you. Goodbye little friend.”

Seàn and Mark stood there looking at Ethan’s grave for another thirteen minutes before both made their way back to the car.


	12. (Not) Replaced

There was a week left for Unus Annus, and Seàn took a temporary spot as Unus, to help Mark finish the channel. Sure, Mark objected many times before, because he worried that Seàn might too meet the same fate Ethan did. Although, after some talking from Amy, he soon caved and Seàn was given the spot of Unus for the remainder of the time the channel had left.

The few videos they did were a little rough at first, with Mark calling Seàn Ethan by mistake a few times and other situations related to the matter. There were some subscribers who weren’t too fond of the idea with Seàn replacing Ethan, and called Mark such hurtful names. But a huge majority of the fan base understood and supported Mark’s decision.

Seàn and Mark were recording the second to last video for the channel, when this happened.

“Mark, you can’t do that.” Seàn chuckled as he lifted Mark from the ground to help him stand.

“Oh, whatever man. I can do whatever I want. The channel is dead tomorrow the day this video is uploaded.” Mark laughed as he stood unbalanced.

“Seriously, man. You have to be more careful. Jesus Christ, it’s like you don’t care about life anymore. I thought we talked about this Ma-“

“Oh, yeah, like fearing death is so hard. Everyone is fucking afraid to die. So why the hell should I be? It’s just pain now, but nothing later, Jack. Let me do what I want before we delete this damn channel.”

“Maybe you should get some sleep, Mark. It’s been a long day.”

“Fuck off man. I’m fine.”

“He’s right, Mark.” Amy said off camera. “You’re a little more grouchy than ever.”

Mark took in a deep breath and turned toward Amy with an expression that wasn’t happy nor angry. There was no telling what his expression was, but he apologised to both Seàn and Amy.

***

Mark sat on his front porch with his head in his hands, trying to stifle a sob. Amy was helping finishing up the cleaning from recording, she asked Seàn to go check on him. Opening the front door and sitting next to the older man, Seàn tried really hard to keep his nerves calm.

It’s been a tough last week for both of them. Jack wasn’t surprised that Mark wanted to finish the channel with Ethan, but got pissed off now that it wasn’t possible anymore. Jack did try his best to help Mark in the long run with being a part time Unus just so he wouldn’t be alone in the end. But after seeing how easily ticked off Mark was today, Seàn saw that perhaps that’s what Mark wanted. To be alone in the end of Unus Annus.

“Hey Mark.” Seàn silently said while reaching an arm to pat on the bigger man’s shoulder.

Mark looked out across the street and took in a shaky breath. Jack took a closer look at Mark, and saw that he was indeed crying. Jack shifted closer to wipe away Mark’s tears, and Mark shrugged him off. Jack felt a little hurt, but he understood the feeling. Mark didn’t want to be babied after the stunt he pulled today.

“Listen, Mark. I volunteered to help with the channel because Ethan was my friend too. I mean, you weren’t the only one shipped with him.” Seàn chuckled while nudging Mark’s shoulder.

Seàn was hoping for a reaction or at least a grunt, but Mark didn’t move or make a noise. Statues had more life than Mark did at this point. Seàn let out a sigh and leaned back in his hands and started at the mostly cloudy sky. The autumn breeze flew by and rustled a few leaves on the ground and shook some off the trees near by.


End file.
